Hose puller and wringer.



'PATENTED MAY 24, '1904.

J. A. BRITTON. HOSE PULLER AND WRINGER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9. 1903. v

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. BRITTON, or BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

V HOSE PULLER AND WRINGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,952,.dated May 24, 1904. I Application filad J'une 9, 1903. Serial No. 160,675. (No model.) 7

.To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, J AMES A. BRITTON, of

Bethlehem, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hose Pullers and Wringers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hose pullers and wringers, and is designed more particularly for use in connection with fire-hose.

The common method of cleaning fire-hose is either topass it through one of the mechanical washers designed for that purpose or else to unreel the hose after returning to the quarters from a'fire and turn a stream of water thereon. Both of these methods are open to serious objections, the first because the hose times damaging the same irreparably.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome these objections by providinga de-- vice which will serve to wring out the excess moisture and by which the hose may be drawn to the hose-carriage and reeled or folded withv out the necessity of the firemen touching the same while in a soiled condition.

To this end the invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved hose puller and wringer. Fig. 2 is a front view thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a standard comprising abase 11 and side pieces 12, united by a top piece 13. Mounted in the lower portion of said standard is a shaft 14, upon which are mounted two spaced-apart disks 15, 0011- nected by rods 16, preferably covered with rubber or other soft material. and their connecting-rods form the drivingdrum D, the ends of shaft 14 being squared to receive crank-handles 17 1 Mounted in' guideways 18, formed in the side pieces 12, is a frame 19, in which is mounted the pressure-drum 20. Said drum comprises a shaft 21, on which are mounted two spaced-apartdisks 22, connected by rods These disks- 23, the same being curved inwardly at 24 and covered with rubber orother suitable material. The shafts 14 and 21 are geared together in any suitable manner, the form of gearing shown being sprockets 25, keyed to the respective shafts and operated by a chain 26, passing around an idle sprocket 27.

The frame 19 is provided with a guide-rod 28, extending through an opening 29 in the top piece 13, said rod being surrounded by a coil-spring 30, the pressure of which is regulated by a plate 31. Said plate is held normally against movement by arms 32, rigidly mounted on a rock-shaft '33, supported by arms 34, secured to the side pieces, the arms 32 being pivotally connected to depending members carried by said plate. To the outer end of the rock-shaft 33 is rigidly secured a curved arm 35, having a concave portion 36 and an outwardly-curved end 37, the latter bearing against a roll 38, loosely mounted on shaft. 21. If desired, antifriction-rolls 39 may be employed to reduce the friction on frame 19. A handle 40 is provided for convenience. In practice my improved hose puller and wringer is designed to be carried by the hose carriage or wagon, as the case may be. After a hose has been used at a fire the same may be washed by means of a mechanical hose-washer, such as described in Letters Patent No. 689,059, granted to me December 17, 1901, and as the hose leaves the washer the same is passed between the drums D and 20,the spring 30 serving to maintain sufiicient pressure between said drums to cause the hose to be fed forward when the drums are rotated. As the couplings on the hose pass between the drums the spring 30 yields sufliciently to allow said couplings to pass free between said drums,

the inwardly-curved portions 34 taking over the form of the coupling. The pressure on the upper drum is uniformly maintained by the curved arm 35. the pressure being increased or diminished according to the position of the frame 19 and the point of engagement of said arm against the roll 38. Thus it will be seen that a uniform pressure is maintained against the hose at all times irrespective of the thickness of the fabric, whereby all excess moisture is forced out as the hose passes between the drums.

The advantages of my invention are at once apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains. It will be particularly noted that my invention is simple in construction and of such compact form that the same may be readily carried by a hosecarriage or hosewagon, that all excess moisture is thoroughly driven out of a hose as it passes between the drums, that provision is made for the ready passage of obstructions, and that the pressure on the drums is uniform irrespective of the thickness of the hose. It will also. be noted that while I have described my invention as particularly adapted for use in connection with the washing of fire-hose, yet I do not limitmyself to such use nor to its use in connection with fire apparatus, as the same may be employed for hose of any kind, the said invention being primarily designed to avoid the necessity of touching hose of any character while in a soiled condition.

I claim as my invention.-

1. Adevice of the character described, comprising a frame, drums mounted therein, meansfor maintaining a pressure between said drums, and a governing device for said pressure means operated by one of said drums.

2. A device'of the character described comprising a frame, a stationary drum, a second drum mounted to reciprocate in said frame, means for maintaining apressure between said drums, and a governing device for said pressure means operated by said reciprocating drum.

3. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a drum mounted therein, a second frame mounted to reciprocate in said former frame, a drum carried thereby, means for maintaining a pressure upon said reciprocating frame, and a governing device for saidpressure means operated by said second drum.

4. A dev1ce of the character described, comprising a main frame, a drum mounted th erein,

a reciprocating frame also carrying a drum, a

guide-rod extending from said reciprocating frame, a coilspring encircling the same, a plate loosely mounted on said rod, and means operated by said second drum for regulating the tension on. said spring.

6. Adevice of the character described, comprising a frame having a drum mounted there in, asecond frame reciprocatingin said former frame and carrying a drum, a rock-shaft, connections between said rock-shaft and said reciprocating frame whereby a pressure is maintained against the latter, and means for automatically regulating said pressure, as set forth.

7. A device of the character described comprising a mainframe, a reciprocating frame, drums mounted in said frames, a spring press.- ing against said reciprocating frame, a plate acting on said spring, a rock-shaft, connec- '1 tions between said plate and said rock-shaft, and a member connected to said rock-shaft and spring to automatically govern the position ,of said plate, as set forth.

8. A device of the character described, comprisinga frame, a reciprocating frame mounted therein, drums carried by said frames, a roll. carried by said reciprocating frame, a

rockshaft, connections between said rock' shaft and said reciprocating frame whereby a pressure is maintained against the latter, and acurved arm connected to said rock-shaft and bearing against said roll, whereby said pressure isautomatically regulated, as set forth.

9. Adevice of the character described, comprising a frame, a stationary drum mounted JAMES A. BRITTON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. FINK,

GEO. L. BAUM. 

